Speaking

The best of speech is that which is adorned by a good structure, and is understood by both the elite and the laymen.

رُبَّ كلامٍ أنفَذُ مِن سِهامٍ . ح: 5322

Many a word is more effective than an arrow. H: 5322

إيّاكَ وما يُستَهجَنُ مِن الكلامِ ؛ فإنّهُ يَحبِسُ علَيكَ اللِّئامَ ويُنَفِّرُ عنكَ الكِرامَ . ح: 2722

Beware of using offensive speech, for it confines you to vile people and dispels honourable people from you. H: 2722

سُنَّةُ اللِّئامِ قُبحُ الكلامِ . ح: 5551

The habit of the vile is vulgar speech. H: 5551

عَجِبتُ لِمَن يَتكلَّمُ بما لا يَنفَعُهُ في دُنياهُ ولا يُكتَبُ لَهُ أجرُهُ في اُخراهُ . ح: 6283

It surprises me that someone should speak about things that neither benefit him in this world, nor will any reward be written for him in the Hereafter. H: 6283

إيّاكَ والهَذَرَ ؛ فَمَن كَثُرَ كلامُهُ كَثُرَت آثامُهُ . ح: 2637

Beware of prattle, for he who speaks a lot will have a lot of sins. H: 2637

إيّاكَ وفضولَ الكلامِ ؛ فإنّهُ يُظهِرُ مِن عُيوبِكَ ما بَطَنَ ، ويُحَرِّكُ علَيكَ مِن أعدائكَ ما سَكَنَ . ح: 2720

Beware of meddlesome speech, for it exposes your faults that were hidden and provokes your enemies who were silent. H: 2720

إيّاكَ وكَثرَةَ الكَلامِ ؛ فإنّهُ يُكثِرُ الزَّلَلَ ويُورِثُ المَلَلَ . ح: 2680

Beware of speaking too much, for it increases mistakes and engenders boredom. H: 2680

إذا تَكَلَّمتَ بالكَلِمَةِ مَلَكَتكَ ، وإذا أمسَكتَها مَلَكتَها . ح: 4084

If you speak a word it possesses you and if you withhold it you possess it. H: 4084

الكلامُ كالدَّواءِ ؛ قَليلُهُ يَنفَعُ ، وكَثيرُهُ قاتِلٌ . ح: 2182

Speech is like medicine; a little bit of it benefits, and a lot of it kills. H: 2182

القولُ بالحَقِّ خيرٌ مِن العِيِّ والصَّمتِ . ح: 1462

Telling the truth is better than being incapable of speaking or being silent. H: 1462

صَمتٌ يُكسِبُكَ الوَقارَ خَيرٌ مِن كلامٍ يَكسُوكَ العارَ . ح: 5867

Silence that brings you dignity is better than speech which causes disdain. H: 5867

صَمتٌ يُعقِبُكَ السَّلامَةَ خَيرٌ مِن نُطقٍ يُعقِبُكَ المَلامَةَ . ح: 5865

Silence that brings you good health is better than speech which causes you blame. H: 5865

الخَرَسُ خَيرٌ مِن الكَذِبِ . ح: 283

Being dumb is better than telling lies. H: 283

الحَصَرُ خَيرٌ مِن الهَذَرِ . ح: 1266

Inability to speak is better than talking nonsense. H: 1266

أحسَنُ الكلامِ ما لا تَمُجُّهُ الآذانُ ولا يُتعِبُ فَهمُهُ الأفهامَ . ح: 3371

The best of speech is that which is not thrown out by the ears, nor is its understanding tiring for people. H: 3371

خَيرُ الكلامِ ما لا يُمِلُّ ولا يَقِلُّ . ح: 4969

The best of speech is that which neither bores [due to its length] and nor is it too brief. H: 4979

الكلامُ بَينَ خَلَّتَي سَوءٍ ، هُما : الإكثارُ والإقلالُ ، فالإكثارُ هَذَرٌ ، والإقلالُ عِيٌّ وحَصَرٌ . ح: 1854

[Balanced] Speech is between two attributes of badness, which are: excessive and too little [speech]; too much is prattle and too little is stammering and hesitation. H: 1854

مَن ساءَ كلامُهُ كَثُرُ مَلامُهُ . ح: 8496

He whose speech is bad is blamed more. H: 8496

أحسَنُ الكلامِ مازانَهُ حُسنُ النِّظامِ ، وفَهِمَهُ الخاصُّ والعامُّ . ح: 3304

The best of speech is that which is adorned by a good structure, and is understood by both the elite and the laymen. H: 3304

آفةُ الكلامِ الإطالةُ . ح: 3966

The bane of speech is it being lengthy. H: 3966